Clouds
by missionquestthing
Summary: Shikamaru reflects on his favorite hobby and the interuptions there of. ShikaIno InoShika InoShikamaru ShikamaruIno InoxShika ShikaxIno InoxShikamaru ShikamaruxIno


**Clouds**

**By: missionquestthing**

**Summary: **Shikamaru reflects on his favorite hobby and the interuptions there of.

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**A/N:** Hopefully the ending isn't confusing, if it is just ask about it and I will clear up the confusion for you. Oh! and dont skip over the italics at the end. they are an important part of the story.

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. Ka-chan on the other hand is completely mine.

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**Clouds **

There I lay, watching clouds. Even at six years old, I was what you, and many other people, called 'lazy'. I've never actually considered myself to be lazy; just because I don't see the point in partaking in stressful activities when there are perfectly relaxing clouds just begging to be watched doesn't make me lazy. Does it? 

Anyway, I digress. That day the class was practicing cloaking techniques, well the entire class except for me. I already knew how to perform that troublesome technique, so I figured there was no harm in giving the clouds what they so desperately desired.

Apparently you thought otherwise because the view of my precious clouds was replaced by one of a face, your face.

"Whatcha doing?" you asked innocently like you didn't know perfectly well what I was doing.

I grunted in response but when you showed no signs of moving I gave in, "Watching the clouds."

I said it in a way to convey my annoyance but you remained unaffected, "Why?"

"Why not?" I replied curtly hopping you would get a hint and leave me alone.

You tilted your head to the side cutely like a confused kitten, "Why not? 'Cause we are supposed to be cloaking ourselves!"

I grunted again but it didn't hinder a mischievous grin from spreading across your face. Before I had the chance wonder what you were up to, your face disappeared from my sight and I felt you pulling on my arms.

"Come on, you lazy bum! You're gonna get in trouble if you stare at those stupid clouds during class!"

"Troublesome girl…" I mutter as I allow you to pull me to my feet.

"What did you just call me?!" you shouted, dropping my arms, letting them fall back to my side.

"This is gonna be such a drag…My name is Nara Shikamaru, what may yours be?" I asked politely like my mother taught me, even though I could have cared less.

You giggle, "I already know your name silly! Do you not know who I am?"

'Man,' I thought, 'Why do girls have to be so weird?' I couldn't fathom how you knew who I was or how I could possibly be expected to have a clue who you were.

You looked slightly saddened by the puzzled expression on my face, "You don't…do you? I'm Yamanaka Ino, My daddy hangs out with your daddy. Their best friends."

"Oh," when you mentioned it, I vaguely remembered something about a daughter being mentioned while my father was droning on about his friends, but it wasn't like I actually paid any attention to his babbling, I still don't.

I turned my attention back towards the sky but before I could even get in a good look I heard you scold me, "I don't think so buddy." You grabbed my hand and began to drag me off, "Come with me, we can practice together."

That was the first time I truly met you, yet I could tell it was going to be the start of a strange and troublesome friendship.

During the rest of our years at the academy, we didn't spend much time together. You were best friends with Sakura and I with Chouji, so we consequently spent most of our time with them instead of each other.

When you and Sakura became rivals, you still didn't have time to give me a passing thought because all your time and energy was spent honing your ninja skills or chasing that Uchiha boy.

That is why I was secretly happy when you were placed on the same genin team as Chouji and me, despite how much of a drag I knew it was going to be.

The second time you disrupted my cloud watching routine we had just been dismissed from our first meeting with Asuma-sensei and instead of going home; I just lay down and gazed up at my clouds.

Suddenly, your face obstructs my view and I feel your long ponytail slapping the side of my face. I closed my eyes.

"Do you ever do anything other than stare mindlessly at the sky all day?" you jest.

"I play shogi," I offer calmly without opening my eyes.

You let out an exasperated sigh, "Shikamaru! How do you ever plan on getting a girlfriend by gaping at clouds and playing shogi?"

I shrugged my shoulders the best I could while still lying on the ground, "I don't have time for troublesome women."

Evidently that was the wrong response because your mood suddenly shifted from playfulness to anger. "Fine be that way, see if I care," you scowl as you stood up and begin to walk away, "Since you obviously aren't in the mood to talk, I'm going to go find Sasuke and chat with him instead."

I watched you march off in a huff, "Whatever, that was such a drag…"

For being a supposed genius, I really did not understand women at all, not that I claim to fully understand them now either.

After that, you made it a habit to disrupt my cloud gazing hobby, although it was usually just to yell at me for being lazy.

On the day of Asuma-sensei's funeral, my hobby was interrupted again, but this time it was a welcome distraction from the thoughts plaguing my head.

I had been staring blindly at the sky, looking at the clouds but not seeing them. That is why I was so surprised when I felt a water droplet hit my face. Awakened from my thoughts, I see you leaning over me, tears trickling down your pretty face.

It had been a tear that snapped me back to reality, I realize as another one of your tears lands upon my face. It wasn't as if I minded much, I was crying as well.

There was no exchange of words that time; you just meekly smiled down at me before crawling over to curl up into my side. With your hand in mine and your head resting on my chest, you soon fell asleep, the tears still trailing your face and dampening my shirt.

In that moment I temporarily forgot my inner turmoil and solely focused on comforting you. I illogically vowed that I would not let another person I cared about die. Of course being a ninja it was an impossible yet everyone should allowed to be unreasonable every once in awhile.

I realized as I lay there with you in my arms that I loved you, despite this, it still took me six months to ask you out. Maybe Naruto was right when he called me a coward.

I had been participating in my favorite pastime, cloud watching, when you, yet again, interrupted me to ask what I was doing, but this time you had a good reason.

"Shikamaru, Why did you ask me to meet you here?" You asked before warning, "You better not have made me come here just so you could have the pleasure of ignoring me in favor of ogling those clouds of yours!"

I chuckled, "Actually I have something far more bothersome in mind."

"Is that so?"

"There is something far more interesting to 'ogle', as you put it, and I find that it refuses to be ignored."  
You quirked your eyebrow in suspicion, signaling that I had you interest.

"Ino you may be the most troublesome, bossy woman I have ever met," I began as your eyebrow twitched in irritation, "but for that reason, I love you."

Your breathing hitched, all anger instantly replaced by shock. You searched my eyes to confirm the honesty of my statement and did a very un-Ino thing when you found it: you blushed.

"I love you too, you lazy bum!" You shout as you throw yourself upon me in a hug, or the best you could manage considering I was still lying down.

"Does this mean you will be my girlfriend?"

As if in answer to my question, you slid around until you were straddling my stomach, your eyes sparking and adorning a large smile.

"Why not?" you giggle before leaning in to kiss me.

I remember these landmark interruptions and many more as my view of the sky is, once again, obscured from sight.

"Daddy what are you doing?" Our six-year-old daughter Inoka asks innocently. I can't help but laugh, she may look like me with the exception of her eyes but she acts just like you. I wish you could see her, you would be so proud; tomorrow is her first day at the academy.

"Come here, Ka-chan," I request as I pull her onto my chest, "Daddy is watching the clouds."

She looks up at the sky for a few minutes as if expecting the clouds to do something before turning her attention back to me, "Why daddy?"

"Because they remind me of your mother."

_I used to watch the clouds because they call to me. Now I turn my gaze skyward because you call to me. When I look up at the clouds I feel as if you are right there with me, ready to scold me for being lazy. Clouds brought us together and clouds keep us close. I love you, my angel._

-owari-

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Please feel free to ask anyquestions. **Please Review!! **Imaginary ShikaIno doujshini (sp?) for reviewers!!


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